Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (BAA), commonly referred to as eKYC, will become mandatory from October 1, 2026, for households to continue receiving subsidised domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) refills.

Why eKYC for LPG

When India began feeling the impact of the war in West Asia on fuel supplies, the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stepped up efforts to carry out biometric authentication of LPG connections to weed out ghost connections and prevent the diversion of domestic cooking gas cylinders.

The biometric authentication mechanism is aimed at minimising the unauthorised diversion of domestic cooking gas cylinders and ensuring accurate tracking of direct benefit transfer (DBT) payments to eligible beneficiaries, as per an official communication.

According to the Ministry, Biometric Aadhaar Authentication ensures that subsidised LPG reaches only genuine and eligible households. Linking each connection to an Aadhaar-authenticated consumer helps prevent the diversion of subsidised domestic cylinders for commercial and industrial use, weeds out duplicate and ineligible connections, and makes subsidy delivery more transparent and targeted.

How to complete eKYC for LPG

Linking Aadhaar with the LPG consumer number using biometric data, such as fingerprints or an iris scan, is known as Biometric Aadhaar Authentication. Domestic LPG consumers can complete the process by visiting their respective gas agency, or do it from home by downloading the required mobile applications. During the refill delivery, the delivery person can also complete authentication on the spot using the OMC mobile application.

Those opting to complete the process at home should ensure a stable internet connection. For an iris scan, a white background is preferable. Explanatory videos for all three oil marketing companies (OMCs) are available at pmuy.gov.in/e-kyc.html.

Consumers can also call 1800 2333 555 for assistance.

What happens if eKYC is not completed?

Consumers who are unwilling or unable to complete BAA will continue to receive LPG, but at the applicable market price and without subsidy. They will also not be supplied 14.2 kg refills.

Instead, they will be supplied 5 kg or 10 kg cylinders, subject to availability with the oil marketing companies, the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on Saturday (September 19, 2026).

Effectively, households that have not completed eKYC will not only lose access to subsidised 14.2 kg refills but will also have to pay more for cooking gas. Unlike 14.2 kg refills, the 5 kg and 10 kg cylinders are free-trade products and are priced on the lines of commercial LPG.

Consumers who have completed BAA will continue to receive refills at the regulated retail selling price with the applicable subsidy. For those yet to complete the process, booking refills at the Retail Selling Price (RSP) with subsidy will be enabled after authentication, the Ministry said.

Those unwilling or unable to complete BAA will have to register their choice through the respective oil marketing companies’ digital channels, including web portals, mobile apps, WhatsApp chatbots and IVRS, or through other available channels, it said.

As of September 19, 27.43 crore, or 89.9% of active domestic LPG consumers in the country, had completed biometric authentication.